U.S. patent number 5,229,586 [Application Number 07/836,153] was granted by the patent office on 1993-07-20 for card issuing apparatus having sequential processing units.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hiromoto Ishii.
United States Patent |
5,229,586 |
Ishii |
July 20, 1993 |
Card issuing apparatus having sequential processing units
Abstract
A card issuing apparatus comprising a convey path for a card, a
conveying section for moving the card along the convey path, a
magnetic card reading/writing device and a thermal printer which
are arranged on the convey path and sequentially subject the card
to magnetical recording and printing, respectively. The card
issuing apparatus further comprises a main processor connected to
receive boarding information, for converting the boarding
information into control data for the magnetical recording and the
printing, a memory section for storing the control data supplied
from the main processor, and a sub-processor for causing each of
the magnetic card reading/writing device and the thermal printer to
process the card according to corresponding control data stored in
the memory section while the card passes through the magnetic card
reading/writing device and the thermal printer.
Inventors: |
Ishii; Hiromoto (Mishima,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd.
(Tokyo, JP)
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Family
ID: |
27336015 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/836,153 |
Filed: |
February 13, 1992 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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427175 |
Oct 25, 1989 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Oct 28, 1988 [JP] |
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63-272603 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
235/375;
235/449 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07B
1/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07B
1/00 (20060101); G06K 007/08 (); G06K 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;235/375,379,380,384,436,449,462,474,376 ;364/521 ;400/103
;101/232 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0269121 |
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Jun 1988 |
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EP |
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59-35267 |
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Feb 1984 |
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JP |
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63-21265 |
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Apr 1988 |
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JP |
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63-41103 |
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Aug 1988 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: Willis; David L.
Assistant Examiner: Sikorski; Edward
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman &
Woodward
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
07/427,175, filed Oct. 25, 1989 now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A card issuing apparatus comprising:
a conveyor path for a card;
conveying means for moving said card along said conveyor path;
various types of recorder units arranged in series along said
conveyor path, and including means for recording data on said card
as it is being moved along said conveyor path; and
control means for controlling said conveying means and said
recorder units, wherein said control means includes:
(a) first processing means for converting information signals
received form a signal source into corresponding data for recording
particularly suitable for use by said various types of recorder
units, respectively;
(b) memory means for storing said data for recording produced by
said first processing means; and
(c) second processing means for retrieving data stored in said
memory means, and for driving at least one of said various types of
recorder units in accordance with the retrieved data, while said
card passes the respective recorder units, wherein said second
processing means drives a plurality of said various types of
recorder units in accordance with said data for recording retrieved
from said memory means, with data for recording suitable for one of
said various types of recorder units being retrieved by said second
processing means as said card approaches said one type of recorder
unit, and with data for recording suitable for another of said
various types of recorder units being retrieved by said second
processing means as said card approaches said another recorder
unit.
2. A card issuing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
first processing means includes means for sequentially producing
said data for recording particularly suitable for use by said
various types of recorder units, respectively, according to the
order of said recorder units along said path.
3. A card issuing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
conveying means includes detecting means connected to said second
processing means for detecting the position of said card moving
along said conveyor path.
4. A card issuing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said
detecting means includes card sensors arranged along said conveyor
path each of which supplies a detection signal to said second
processing means when the card has reached a corresponding recorder
unit.
5. A card issuing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
various types of recorder units include a magnetic recording unit
having means for magnetically writing said data for recording
associated therewith on said card, and a printing unit having means
for printing said data for recording associated therewith on said
card.
6. A card issuing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
memory means includes means for storing said data for recording,
and a memory access controller means for selectively coupling said
storing means to one of said first and second processing means
under control of said first processing means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a card issuing apparatus for sequentially
issuing cards that have been subjected to a number of processing
steps using supplied information, and more particularly to a card
issuing apparatus of the above described category that records card
information on each card in a number of separate steps while it is
being conveyed along a line.
2. Description of the Related Art
These days, a large number of people utilize airports and air
transportation, and the number of such people is ever increasing.
Where an automated block wicket is installed at the boarding gate
of a passenger lounge of an airport for automatic examination of
passengers' boarding tickets, a boarding ticket having a magnetic
stripe on it is given to every passenger who checks in at the
passenger counter. When the passenger inserts this boarding ticket
into the automated block wicket, it reads the destination, the
flight number, the seat number and other information recorded on
the magnetic stripe of the ticket and, if validation is confirmed,
the block wicket is automatically opened to admit the
passenger.
A conventional card issuing apparatus for issuing boarding tickets
with a magnetic stripe operates in the manner as described below.
Such a card issuing apparatus normally stores in a stocker a number
of ticket cards, which are taken out one by one from the stocker.
The ticket card is then placed on the end of a convey path and
moved along the convey path by means of a conveying mechanism until
it reaches the card issuing slot provided at the other end of the
path. Along the convey path, there are arranged a magnetic card
reading/writing device, a printer and a plurality of card sensors.
These card sensors are designed to detect the positioning of the
card as it moves along the convey path and the output signals of
the card sensors are utilized for controlling the conveying
mechanism, and the magnetic card reading/writing device, as well as
the printer. When the card reaches the position for activating the
magnetic card reading/writing device, it magnetically writes data
corresponding to the boarding information on the magnetic strip
which is formed on the back side of the card. As the card moves
further along the path and reaches the position for activating the
printer, the printer prints data corresponding to the boarding
information on the front side of card. The conveying mechanism, the
magnetic card reading/writing device and the printer are
respectively controlled by first, second and third sub-processors
for operation, whereas the first through third sub-processors are
controlled by a single main processor for operation.
More specifically, the main processor supplies boarding information
to the second and third sub-processors, which information is
supplied from the host computer of the airline connected to the
main processor via a communication network when the card issuing
apparatus is activated, and at the same time sequentially gives the
first, the second and the third sub-processors activating
instructions. Upon receiving its activating instruction, the first
sub-processor instructs the conveying mechanism to move the paper
card. Similarly, the second sub-processor, in response to the
instruction given to it, converts the boarding information into
data for magnetic recording and instructs the magnetic card
reading/writing device to write the data on the card and confirm
the written data. Finally, upon receiving its instruction, the
third sub-processor converts the boarding information into data for
printing and instructs the printer to print the data on the
card.
Normally a processor with a capacity of 8 bits or so is used for
each of the first through third subprocessors as described above,
as a small control program is used for the desired control
operation. However, such a small capacity processor requires a
relatively long period of time for the arithmetic operation to be
conducted in order to convert the boarding information into data
for magnetic recording or printing. While the time required for
issuing a boarding ticket can be reduced to some extent by
increasing the moving speed of the card, the data for magnetic
writing as well as the data for printing may not be ready if the
moving speed of the card is increased too much, without giving due
consideration to the time required for arithmetic operation as
described above. Consequently, the maximum card moving speed is
limited by the speed of the arithmetic operations of the
sub-processors involved, thus hindering the satisfactory reduction
of the overall time required for issuing a card in a conventional
card issuing apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
card issuing apparatus that can issue a card within a period of
time which is significantly reduced from the time required for
issuing a card in a conventional card issuing apparatus, without
damaging the contollability for various card processing steps.
According to the invention, this object and other objects of the
present invention are achieved by providing a card issuing
apparatus comprising a convey path for a card, a conveying system
for moving cards along said card convey path, a plurality of card
processing sections arranged on said convey path for sequentially
subjecting the card to predetermined processings, a first data
processing circuit connected to receive card information for
converting the card information into control data for the
predetermined processings, a memory section for storing the control
data supplied from the first data processing circuit and a second
data processing circuit for causing each card processing section to
process the card according to the corresponding control data stored
in the memory section while the card passes through the card
processing section.
In a card issuing apparatus according to the present invention,
boarding information is converted into control data for the
predetermined processings, by the first data processing circuit,
then stored in the memory section. Since the card processing
sections are directly controlled by the second data processing
circuit of the apparatus, the first data processing circuit can
perform its arithmetic operation for the conversion without the
interruption normally required for activating each card processing
section by a conventional card issuing apparatus. Moreover, once
the first data processing section completes the preparation of the
control data for a predetermined processing, it quickly starts
preparation of the control data for the next predetermined
processing, which allows the conveying system to move the card much
faster than its counterpart in any conventional card issuing
apparatus, even when a very large number of steps are required in
the arithmetic operation for obtaining control data for a
particular card processing means. Besides, the fact that unlike the
second data processing circuit, the first data processing circuit
does not directly control the card processing means and only one
circuit always suffices, the first data processing operation makes
it possible to use a general purpose processor having a high
operational capability as the first data processing section,
without deteriorating its ability to control the card processing
section, and thus reduces the overall cost.
Now the present invention will be described in greater detail by
referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred
embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an illustration schematically showing the inside of an
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the control circuit of the
embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a part of the control
circuit of FIG. 2; and
FIGS. 4 and 5 are flow charts showing the operation of the control
circuit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1 through 3, illustrate an embodiment specifically designed
for issuing boarding cards for aircraft. FIG. 1 schematically shows
the inside of the embodiment comprising stockers 1 and 2 for
storing paper cards CD, each having a magnetic stripe as in the
case of a card issued by a conventional card issuing apparatus, a
convey path 3 for conveying card CD taken out from one of the
stockers 1 and 2 up to card issuing slot 4, a magnetic card
reading/writing device 5 and a thermal printer 6, said magnetic
card reading/writing device 5 and said thermal printer 6 being
arranged along said convey path. This magnetic card reading/writing
device 5 is constituted by a writing head 5a, a reading head 5b, a
motor 5c, and a pair of guide rollers 5d and 5e. Thermal printer 6
is constituted by a thermal transfer head 6a, an ink ribbon 6b and
a ribbon feed motor 6c. The stocker 2 is provided as a back-up to
be used when the stocker 1 contains no cards. The cards CD stored
in the stockers 1 and 2 are taken out one by one by means of either
a pick-up roller 7A, driven by a motor 7, or a pick-up roller 8A,
driven by a motor 8, and moved on either of the conveyor rollers,
arranged along the convey path and driven respectively by motors 9
and 10, toward the card issuing slot 4. As card CD passes the
magnetic card reading/writing device 5, the writing head 5a
magnetically writes data corresponding to the supplied boarding
information on the magnetic stripe on the back of the card CD, and
the reading head 5b reads the data in order to verify that the data
is recorded correctly. After the completion of this step, the card
CD is moved to the thermal printer 6 and, as the card passes
therethrough, it prints data corresponding to the supplied boarding
information on the front surface of the card by means of the
thermal transfer head 6a. After the completion of the printing
operation, the card CD is ejected out of the card issuing slot
4.
FIG. 2 schematically shows the control circuit of the embodiment,
having a main processor 11 and sub-processors 12 and 14, of which
the main processor 11 is designed to control the sub-processors 12
and 14, whereas the sub-processor 12 is provided to control the
magnetic reading/writing device 5 and the thermal head printer 6,
and the sub-processor 14 is provided to control a conveying
mechanism 13 including the motors 7, 8, 9 and 10 and other items
such as solenoids and sensors which are not shown. The main
processor 11 is a 16-bit microprocessor containing a ROM and a RAM,
whereas each of the sub-processors 12 and 14 is an 8-bit
microprocessor with a built-in ROM and a built-in RAM. The ROM of
the microprocessor 12 and that of the microprocessor 14 both store
in advance, fixed data including control programs and a variety of
conversion tables, whereas each of the RAMs temporarily stores
variable data such as boarding information and processed data. The
main processor 11 converts the boarding information supplied from
external host computer HC into data for magnetic recording and data
for printing and stores them in memory 15 during the boarding
tickets issuing operation. Besides this, the main processor 11 has
the role of giving instructions to the sub-processors 12 and 14 to
respectively activate the magnetic card reading/writing device 5,
the thermal printer 6 and the conveying mechanism 13. The
sub-processor 14 causes the conveying mechanism 13 to transport
card CD in response to the instruction given by the main processor
11. The sub-processor 12 reads the data for magnetic recording and
the data for printing stored in the memory 15 and causes the
magnetic card reading/ writing device 5 and the thermal printer 6
to carry out their operations of recording data on the card CD in
response to the instruction given by the main processor 11 to
activate the magnetic card reading/writing device 5 and the thermal
printer 6. Also a number of card sensors SR are arranged along the
convey path 3 to detect the position of the card CD and the output
signals of the sensors SR are transmitted to the sub-processors 12
and 14. Keyboard KB is used for entering instructions for issuing
boarding tickets and controlling the number of tickets to be
issued.
FIG. 3 is a detailed illustration of a part of the control circuit
of FIG. 2. Memory section 15 comprises a memory 21 which stores
data for magnetic recording to be supplied to the magnetic card
reading/writing device 5 for recording, and a memory 22 for storing
data to be supplied to the thermal printer 6 for printing. The main
processor 11 is connected with the sub-processor 12 via a strobe
type bidirectional bus driver 23. The memories 21 and 22 are
connected with the sub-processors 11 and 12 via a group of bus
drivers 24. Each of the bus drivers 24 is connected with a selector
memory 25 for transmitting CS (chip select) signals. The group of
bus drivers 24 comprises eight bus drivers D1 through D8, of which
bus drivers D1, D3, D5 and D7 are 3-state type bidirectional bus
drivers and bus drivers D2, D4, D6 and D8 are 3-state type
unidirectional bus drivers.
When described more specifically in terms of the mutual connection
of the components, the main processor 11 is connected with the
bidirectional bus driver 23 and the bus drivers D1 and D5 via a
data bus 26 and with the bus drivers D2 and D6 via an address bus
27 and a control bus 28. The main processor 11 is also connected
with the bidirectional bus driver 23 via a control bus 29. A data
bus 30 connects output port P of the main processor 11 and the
input port of the memory selector 25.
On the other hand, the sub-processor 12 is connected with the
bidirectional bus driver 23, the bus drivers D3 and D7, the
magnetic card reading/writing device 5 and the thermal head printer
6 via a data bus 31 and with the bus drivers D4 and D8 via an
address bus 32 and a control bus 33. The sub-processor 12 is also
connected with the magnetic card reading/writing device 5 via a
control bus 34 and with the thermal head printer 6 via a control
bus 35 as well as with the bidirectional bus 23 via a control bus
36.
The memory 21 for the magnetic card reading/writing device 5 is
connected with the bus drivers D1 and D3 via a data bus 37 and with
the bus drivers D2 and D4 via an address bus 38 and a control bus
39.
The memory 22 for the thermal head printer 6 is connected with the
bus drivers D5 and D7 via a data bus 40 and with the bus drivers D6
and D8 via an address bus 41 and a control bus 42.
As for the memory selector 25, the output terminal thereof for
signal CS0 is connected with the chip select CS terminal of the bus
driver D1 and that of the bus driver D2 via a signal line 43.
Similarly, the output terminal of the memory selector 25 for signal
CS1 is connected with the CS terminal of the bus driver D3 and that
of the bus driver D4 via a signal line 44, while the output
terminal of the memory selector 25 for signal CS2 is connected with
the CS terminal of the bus driver D5 and that of the bus driver D6
via a signal line 45 and the output terminal of the memory selector
25 for signal CS3 is connected with the CS terminal of the bus
driver D7 and that of the bus driver D8 via a signal line 46.
Now referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the card issuing apparatus operates
in the following manner. When boarding information is supplied from
the host computer HC and an instruction for issuing a card ticket
is given through the keyboard KB, the main processor 11 starts
executing a given program as illustrated in the flow chart of FIG.
4. Firstly at step ST1 the main processor 11 determines the
effective direction of the bidirectional bus driver 23 via the
control bus 29 and transmits status data to the sub-processor 12
for initialization via the bus lines 26 and 31. The sub-processor
12, after completion of the required operation for initialization,
determines the effective direction of the bidirectional bus driver
23 via the control bus 36 and transmits a ready signal to the main
processor 11 via the buslines 31 and 26. Upon receiving the ready
signal from the sub-processor 12 at ST2, the main processor 11
proceeds to ST3 and transmits selection data from the output port P
to the memory selector 25 via the data bus 30. As the memory
selector 25 receives the selection data and decodes them, it
enables signal CS0 and disables signals CS1 and CS2. (CS3 may be
either enabled or disabled.) Then, signal CS0 on the signal line 43
becomes low and the bus drivers D1 and D2 are made effective so as
to connect the data bus 26, the address bus 27 and the control bus
28 of the main processor 11 respectively with the data bus 37, the
address bus 38 and the control bus 39 of the memory 21 of the
magnetic card reading/writing device 5 so that the main processor
11 becomes accessible to the memory 21 for data for magnetic
recording. Subsequently, the main processor 11 performs a data
processing operation required to convert the boarding information
into data to be magnetically recorded, which are stored in the
memory 21.
Then at ST6, the main processor 11 transmits selection data from
the port P via the data bus to the memory selector 25, which, upon
decoding the transmitted selection data, enables signal CS1 and
disables all the other signals CS0, CS2 and CS3. At this stage,
since only CS1 becomes low on the signal line 44 to make the bus
drivers D3 and D4 effective so as to connect the data bus 31, the
address bus 32 and the control bus 33 of the sub-processor 12
respectively with the data bus 37, the address bus 38 and the
control bus 39 of the memory 21, so that the sub-processor 12
becomes accessible to the memory 21. Then the main processor 11
determines the effective direction of the bidirectional bus driver
23 and transmits status data to inform the sub-processor 12 that
signal CS1 is enabled and that the data to be magnetically recorded
is stored in the memory 21, and instructing the sub-processor 12 to
operate the magnetic card reading/writing device 5.
At ST8, the main processor 22 transmits selection data from port P
via the data bus 30 to the memory selector 25, which, upon decoding
the transmitted selection data, enables signal CS2. Then, signal
CS2 becomes low on the signal line 45 to make the bus drivers D5
and D6 effective so as to connect the data bus 26, the address bus
27 and the control bus 28 of the main processor 11 respectively
with the data bus 40, the address bus 41 and the control bus 42 of
the printing data memory 22 so that the main processor 11 becomes
accessible to the memory 22. Now the main processor 11 performs the
data processing operation required to convert the boarding
information into data to be printed. At ST10, the main processor 11
receives from the sub-processor 12 via the bus lines 31 and 26 a
report of the completion of the operation of the magnetic card
reading/writing device 5 and, at ST11, the data for printing
obtained at ST10 is stored in the memory 22.
Then at ST12, the main processor 11 transmits selection data from
the port P via the data bus 30 to the memory selector 25, which,
upon decoding the transmitted selection data, enables signal CS3
and disables all the other signals CS0, CS1 and CS2. Then, only the
signal CS3 becomes low on the signal line 46 to make the bus
drivers D7 and D8 effective so as to connect the data bus 31, the
address bus 32 and the control bus 33 of the sub-processor 12
respectively with the data bus 40, the address bus 41 and the
control bus 42 of the memory 22 so that the sub-processor 12 is
accessible to the memory 22. AT ST13, the main processor 11
determines the effective direction of the bidirectional bus driver
23 via the control bus 29, and transmits status data to the
sub-processor 12, informing it that signal CS3 is enabled and that
the data for printing is stored in the memory 22, instructs the
sub-processor 12 to operate the thermal head printer 6.
When only one ticket card is to be issued, the whole operation
terminates at this stage. If, on the other hand, there are two or
more cards to be issued, signal CS0 is enabled at ST14 as in the
case of ST3 and the main processor 11 becomes accessible to the
memory 21. Then at ST15, the main processor 11 performs a data
processing operation to convert the given boarding information into
data to be magnetically recorded. When the sub-processor 12 reports
completion of the operation of the thermal head printer 6 at ST16,
the program returns to ST5 to store the data for magnetic recording
in the memory 21. The above described operation will be repeated a
number of times, corresponding to the number of tickets to be
issued.
On the other hand, the sub-processor 12 executes a given program in
a manner as illustrated in the flow chart of FIG. 5, in parallel
with the operation of the main processor 11. AT ST21, upon
receiving status data transmitted from the main processor 11, the
sub-processor 12 identifies the type of data. When the
sub-processor 12 verifies at ST22 that the received status data are
data informing it that signal CS1 is enabled, it checks if both bus
drivers D3 and D4 are effective. When the bus drivers D7 and D8 are
found to be effective, it reads the data for printing stored in the
memory 22 and causes the thermal printer 6 to print the data
through the data bus 31 and the control bus 35. As soon as the
printing operation is completed, the sub-processor 12 determines
the effective direction of the bidirectional bus driver 23 so as to
report the completion of printing to the main processor 11 via the
bus lines 31 and 26.
With a card issuing apparatus having a configuration as described
above, a card taken out from either stocker 1 or 2 is first
transported by the convey path 3 to the magnetic card
reading/writing device 5, where certain data is magnetically
recorded on the magnetic stripe provided on the back of the card.
Then the card is carried to the thermal printer 6, where the
corresponding data is printed on the front surface of the card.
After completion of the printing operation, the card is carried
further to the card issuing slot 4, where it is issued as a
boarding ticket. Since the magnetic card reading/writing device 5
and the thermal printer 6 are not required to operate
simultaneously, only one sub-processor 12 sequentially controls the
operation of the magnetic card reading/writing device 5 and the
thermal printer 6 under the control of the main processor 11.
It should be noted that this card issuing apparatus is provided
with a pair of memories 21 and 22 which is accessible from both the
main processor 11 and the sub-processor 12 so that the data for
magnetic recording as well as for printing required for issuing a
card is available to the sub-processor 12 at any time. It should
also be noted that each of the memories 21 and 22 are prohibited
from being accessed simultaneously by the main processor 11 and the
sub-processor 12 because, if the memories 21 and 22 are accessed
simultaneously by the main processor 11 and the sub-processor 12,
there can occur a collision of the signal transmitted via the data
bus 26, the address bus 27 and the control bus 28 for the main
processor 11, and the signal transmitted by way of the data bus 31,
the address bus 32 and the control bus 33 for the sub-processor 12.
With a view to preventing such a collision of signals, the
bidirectional bus drivers D1, D3, D5 and D7 are provided for the
data buses 26 and 31, while the unidirectional bus drivers D2, D4,
D6 and D8 are provided for the control buses 28 and 33 so that the
memories 21 and 22 are selectively made accessible by controlling
signals CS0, CS1, CS2 and CS3 from the memory selector 25.
When signal CS0 is enabled by the main processor 11, the bus
drivers D1 and D2 become effective for the memory 21 to be accessed
by the main processor 11. Under this condition, the main processor
11 supplies data for magnetic recording and stores it in the memory
21. When the main processor 11 enables only signal CS1, the bus
drivers D3 and D4 become effective for the memory 21 to be accessed
by the sub-processor 12, which then reads the data for magnetic
recording from the memory 21 under the control of the main
processor 11 and causes the magnetic card reading/writing device 5
to perform its operation according to the data. Meanwhile, if the
main processor 11 enables signal CS2, the bus drivers D5 and D6
become effective for the memory 22 to be accessed by the main
processor 11. Under this condition, the main processor 11 supplies
data for printing and stores it in the memory 22. After the
magnetic card reading/writing device 5 completes its operation, the
main processor 11 enables only CS3 to make the bus drivers D7 and
D8 effective for the memory 22 to be accessed by the sub-processor
12. The sub-processor 12 reads the data for printing from the
memory 22 under the control of the main processor 11 and causes the
thermal printer 6 to perform its operation according to the
data.
With the above described embodiment of the invention, the main
processor 11 processes at least a part of the data required for
operation of the magnetic card reading/writing device 5 as well as
a part of the data required for operation of the thermal printer 6
and stores them respectively in the memories 21 and 22. Then the
sub-processor 12 reads the data from the memories 21 and 22 under
the control of the main processor 11 and operates the magnetic
reading/writing device 5 and the thermal printer 6 according to
that data. Therefore, the main processor 11 can perform its data
processing operation in advance of the operation of the magnetic
card reading/writing device 5 and the thermal head 6, and the data
processing operation performed by the sub-processor 12 can be
significantly simplified to maintain the transporting speed of the
cards at an enhanced level and to consequently reduce the overall
time required for issuing a card.
Furthermore, with the above described embodiment of the invention,
a sub-processor 12 is provided to control the operation of two card
processing units, the magnetic card reading/writing device 5 and
the thermal printer 6. Thus, the card issuing apparatus is
simplified in terms of configuration and hence the cost of
manufacturing such an apparatus is significantly reduced as
compared with a conventional card issuing apparatus that requires a
sub-processor for every card processing unit. Moreover, the working
ratio of the sub-processor is naturally increased to a considerable
degree.
It may be needless to say that the scope of the present invention
is not limited by the above described embodiment. For example, a
sub-processor may be provided for each of the card processing units
involved, which may be three instead of two as in the case of the
above embodiment. Furthermore, if a plurality of card processing
units are involved, a single sub-processor may accommodate all of
the units or a same number of sub-processors may be provided such
that each of the sub-processors accommodates a separate card
processing unit.
* * * * *